Feed-water-treatment arrangement in steamships.



. w. wam. FEED .WATER -TREATMENT ARRANGEMENT IN STEAMSHIPS.

APPLlcAlon FILED.APR.21,19|1. l Patented Apr. 29. 1919.`

4 SHEETS-SHEET l.

5.5K Nuuk n w. wm. FEED WATER TREATMENT AHRANGEMENT IN STEAMSHIPS.

T yPatented @122951919 4 SHEETS-SHEET 2Q APPLICATION FILED APH. '27| |911.

9 w. WUR.y FEED WATER TREATMENT ARRANGEMENT IN STEANISHIPS.

' Patented/Apr. 29,1919." y

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3f APPLICATIUN FILED APR. 21| 19|?.`

Y l 1,302,256. T

w. wam.

l FEED WATER TREATMENT ARR-ANQEMENT m sTEAMsHIPs.

` APPLICATIUN FILED APR. 2' 1911- `'Patented Apr. 29,1919.

fSHEETS-SHEET 4.V

UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEEIoE- .edwin-plan WEI, QFfeLAseoW, seQTfLA-ND, stenen To e. e J.WE;-m, -L1MIU.ED, or

GLASGOW, BGo'nLAND.

Specification of Lettersllatent.

Patented. Apr..29, 1919.

rififit: knowni that :.IaWmr-IAMf-WEIR, a fsubjeetfofethe King o'fiGreatfBritain andIre- .-landjtresiding at |Hol1n Foundry, Cathcart, GdSgOW, ySootlanfil;have vinvented certain fnewnfancl useful In'iprovements in Feed'eWa- :iter'llreatment `Arrangements in fSteamships `and lido hereby declare the'ollowing to be a fl'full` eleary and exact description of the invention, such as will enable'others skilled -in theeart to .which it-=appertans to make yandusemthe same, reference being had to .-the lacrompanying drawings, and to letters -orwxtigures "of reference marked thereon,

Whieli'forni af -part of this speciication` iI-hisfinvention relates to the treatment of afe'edfwaterlin=systems for condensing steam and heating feed IWater in steainships.

F The `insention consists in a novel arrangement yand-eombination ofV machinery and :apparatus which will be described in the #following specification and particularly defned in 'l the annexed claims.

Referring to the accompanying draW- ings:-

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic representation fof a feed Water system according to the invention.

#Figi Qliis asimilar View representing a modified arrangement.

Fig. 3 is a similar View representing another modified arrangement. l

Fig.5 4 is asimilar -view representing a further modification.

e Fig: is a vertical section of an automatically controlledvalve employed in the arrangements represented byFigs. l. 3, and 4 is a cross section'through a cock employed in the arrangement represented `in Figre.

2 Referring'in the first place to Fig. 1. fr is the 4main condenser" from the bottom of which a pipe b leads to the suction of a pump o which willbe referred to as the `water-eids-rention pump and which `is preferably 'of'. the eentrifugal type. This pump delivers f-the Water 4Ithroufgh ay non-return waived yfintothe'main -feed pipe f at a pressure suitable" for meetingfthe Vparticular conditions of the installation; this pressure. may generally with advantage be between five pounds and tWentvLfive pounds per square inc'h above atmosphere.

From' the pipe? or.y if preferred. from 1:66 l.the :sibottomeof 1 thercondenserwa f pipe `(which is preferably f givvenf-anupward turn) is ledfto a--steamjet air ejector g which is arranged. to 'draw Y'air and vapor" from the Condenser and deliver" it to a surfaceqfeed heater la, arranged on-themain feed pipe f. Thesteanvjet steam. together Withlthewater vapor` brought from-the condenser with `the air, tis-condensed in this surface heater;

and the heat abstracted is 'utilized to heat the feed Water. The steam and air do not ot rourse mix Withthe -feed Water `from th. pump o,-being onioppositesides 'of the heat-- ing surface. 'The condensate drains into a Well at the-bottoml 0f-the heater; and a pipe m connects this Well-With .the suction of Ithe Water extraction pumpe-or, if preferred. with the imainwcondenser. 'A valve or vcock fn, is' provided to control -the'floiv `through'this pipe and is itself controlledby "-\'The su`rt`are heater may be of Aany suitable.

smrjf'aeetype.Y that' is, any suitable'type 'in which the steam. and Water are kept sepa` rate. and the heat transferred through inetal surfaces. A; convenient design in the present st'heine is one iti-Which, the Water passes y-thrrmfgh tubes err-tending between two tube plates at opposite ends of a cylindrical vessel. the steam passing overthe outside surfaces of the tubes.

A` surface ,feed heater g may: be employed in addition to'the heater 7L and arranged on the main feed pipe in series With the heater It. In-this secondary heaterithe feedvwater receives a further augmentation of tempera.- ture` the heating agent being. generally exhaust steam from the auii'liary engines. Any usual or suitable valve and by-pass ar rangement may be provided whereby the feed Water ean-Whendesiredfbe `by-passecil instead of made tooyvthrough this heater. The heater. it is to benoted, is on the suctionV 'Aside of the feedl pump r .(or. feed pumps).

yso

gle primary feed heater 71. to the" boilersl in several stokeholds, cach Stoke/hold being provided with an independent feedpurnp or feed pumps. 'In such a case all the Waterv may pass through a single secondary feed heater Q and then be divided to supply the several stokeholds; or al separate secondary feed heater may be placed in each stokehold, and. thef'water, after delivery from the primary feed heater, be divided and delivered through the several secondary feed heaters to the-several feed pumps.

When the-feedpump or feed pumps are not required to deliver Water into the' boilers and are consequently not ruiming, or are not drawing a quantity of Water equal in amount to that discharged from the condenser, provision is made for discharging the water which has been delivered bythe water-extraction pump through the primary feed heater, or the excess of this water which is not requiredy by the feed pumps, into a feed tank t (under atmospheric pressure, as is usual). For this purpose a branch pipe j is. provided, leading from -the main feed pipe, on the discharge side of the primary feed heater,xto the feed tank,v an automatic valve s of thel spring-loaded non-return type being provided on this-branch, which valve is adapted to open with a sufficient difference of pressure and allowfwater to pass in a direction toward, but not in a direction away from, the feed tank. When, therefore` dueto the stoppage or reduced working of the feed pumps, the pressure rises in the main feed pipe, this spring-loaded valve opens and allows the water.- or the excess Water, as the case may be, to pass into the feed tank.

A 'pipe u is provided connecting-the feed tank with the main condenser-pr, if preferred7 with the suction of the water-extraction pump. On'this pipe two valves are provided`one, Q1, a hand-operated valve. and theother, fw, an automatic'valve which is shown in edition-drawnto -an enlarged scale-in Fig. 5. The spindle m of4 this llatter valve is connected-to a spring ya'nd to a piston e which latter works in Fa cylinder J, which communicates by a pipe 3^with the main feed pipe between the pump'c and the feed heater ./z, (as shownv in Fig. l).

vB y this arrangement it 4results thatfwhen the water-extraction pump is receiving Water of condensation from the mainfcondenser in amount insufficientv -to meet the requirements of the boilersVthe' fall in pressure in the pipe f *willv affect the pistonso as to open the valve and consequently -provide the Water-extraction pump vwith sufficient water' from the feed tank to make up thedeficiency in its supply from the 'main condenser. -It will be obvious that there can be no( return fiow, c., from main condenser to feed tank, through the valve w. desired a diaphragm may-lie substituted forthev'pistonie.

Referring now to Fig. 2, the arrangement shown therein differs from that represented in Fig. l only as regards the means for discharging feed water from the feed" tank "into the-'feed circulating system. The pipe u is dispensed with, and in its place a pipe .Je is provided leading from the feed tank to the main 'feed' pipe and joining the latter between its connection with the branch j andthe secondary surface feed heater g. A pump' 5,` preferably of the centrifugal type, is provided on the pipe 4 to discharge Water through this pipe from the feed tank to the main feed pipe; and an automatic valve 6 of the. loadedv non-return type is placed on the pipe and on the discharge side of the pump. v`With this arrangement, when the pressure in the main feed pipe falls bel'ow a predetermined maximum, the valve 6 opens and allows of the delivery 'of Water from the feed tank to the main feed pipe. lhen, however, there is sufficiency of water coming from tlie'main condenser, and the pressure in the main feed pipe isnormal, the pressure of'discharge'fromthe-pump 5 is insufficient-to deliver water past the valve V6 into the main feed pipe. A hand-operated shut-down valve 7- is provided on `the main feed pipe between lthe pipe connections j and 4.

Under normal conditions of working, the water delivered by the water-extracting pump is suflicient to condense the jet steam of the air ejector; but, under certain conditions if working-say during` maneuveringwhen a reduced quantity of exhaust steam is being delivered to the maincondenser while the steam-j et stearrr is undiminished, or not proportionately reduced, it may be necessary to supplement the condensate drawn from the 'main condenser and Vpump thrbugh the priniary feed heater. For this purpose a'pipe 8, furnished with a hand-operatedjvalve 9, is provided connecting the feed tank directly with themain condenser. Such a pipe connection is required with allfalternative'arrangements according to this invention and is shown in Figs. l, 3, and +L. By means of this pipe additional (,:irmilating feed water is obtained b v opening thefvalve 9 when a flow of water takes place from the feed tank into the main condenser; andthe Water-extraction pump is thus able todraw sufficient water from the latter to condense the steam in the primary surface feed heater.

zwater-extraction pump dravvs'the Water of vvcondensation from the main condenser and delivers it along the main feed pipe, through the tubes of the primaryT surface feed heater It, andfthereafter through the secondary feed. heater q (or heaters) -to the suction of `the feed pump or pumps Which deliver it to the boilers.

In the event of the feed supply being in excess of that required for the boilers, the pressure Will rise in the main feed pipe and open the spring loaded valve .S- on a branch y' as in Figs. 1, 2, and 3: feed water will then pass through this branch and valve into the main feed tank.

In the event of aA deficiency in the supply of feed Water delivered by the water-extrae tion pump, the pressure in the main feed pipe will fall and Will'be communicated by the pipe 3 to the lower side of the piston e v(or diaphragm) so as to openvthe valve 'w and enable the feed supply to be kept up from the main feed tank.

A pipe connection 8 (with stop valve 9)y is provided-as in the arrangement shown in Fig. 1 and for the same purpose.

If the secondary surface heater q ismade of a size capable of utilizing the whole of the available auxiliaryv exhaust steam. and

loo;

ymi

no auxiliary exhausts are led to the L. P. turbine, then the only portion of the feed Water requiring to be filtered is the exhaust steam condensed lin the secondary surface feed heater, as this is the only portion` of the steam containing oil or grease. The ilter 25 hereinbefore referred to provides for the filtration of this feed water prior .to its admission to the feed tank.

It is to be noted with respectto all the arrangements that, in normal working, the feed Water is circulated in a perfectly closed system: never at any time has it access to the atmosphere. The air is separated from .the water of condensation either before leaving, or immediately after leaving, the main condenser, and the water thereafter (under normal conditions) isaiforded no opportunity of takingfup air.

AIn the arrangements illustrated in Figs. 1, 3, and 4, all feed water taken `from the main feed tank is passed through the main condenser and therefore, subjected to the deeaerating effect of the latter before being admittedito the main feed pipe.A Moreover', in the last mentioned arrangement this procedure' is also adopted with. respect to eed- Water taken from the reserve feed, tank.

' IOwing to the' arrangements 'her'e'inbefore described, it is not necessary-as is often the case-to elevate the feed tank er tanks in order to provide a requisite head for the feed pumps; and the feed tank (or tanks) can consequently be placed very low 1n the ship-a point o considerable miportance 1n warships.

It is lto be noted that the secondary surface feed heatervor heaters (when employed) is or are under only small pressure. It is usual in the employment of a surface feed heater onboard ship to place this heater on the discharge sideV of the feed pump, as otherwise the high temperature to which the Water is raised impairs the suction of the pump. When the feed heater is placed on the discharge side of the feed pump, it has of course to be made sufliciently strong to stand the high pressure to which it is subjected and which of course is always greater than the working pressure of the boilers. The Water-extraction pump employed in the present scheme enables the feed pump to act satisfactorily even when receiving Water at a high temperature; and the secondary surface feed heater is therefore placed on the suction side of the feed pump and is conseoluently not under boiler pressure.` The present' scheme therefore allows of a substantial reduction in the weight of this surface heater, a matter of great importance, especially in Warshi s.

Having thus escribed my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent is 1. In a Steamship, in combination, a main condenser, a. boiler feed pump, a main feed pipe extending from the said condenser to the said boiler feed pump, a water-extraction pump for the withdrawal of the water of condensation, z'. e., the feed Water, from the said condenser, and the delivery of the same under pressure into the said feed pipe, a surface feed heater on the said main feed pipe, a steam-jet air ejector for the extraction of the air, with vapor, from the said condenser and the delivery of the same into,v the said surface heater, the said heater being arranged for the heating of the feed Water by the condensation of the steam from the ejector, a feed tank, an admission pipe connectionbetween the said main feed pipe and said feed tank, an automatic non-return loaded valve on said pipe connection, a discharge pipe connection from said feed tank, an automatic non-return valve .on said last mentioned pipe connection, a return pi e connecting the said feedv tank with the sald condenser, and aI hand-controlled' valve on pipe extending from the said condenser to the said boiler feed pump, a water-extraction pump' for the withdrawal of the' Water' of condensation, z'. e., the feedwate',1froin"' the said condenser, and tliede1ivery saine under 1 'n'essure into 'the said fedpipe, a surface feed l'ieateronthesaid' main feed pipe, the water side of said heater ,being un? der 'the pressure of discharge fror'n' 'th'efsaid irater-extra`ctioi pump While the stcani Side" is under a pi'essurenot vlessftha'n aftr'nosi'` pheric, a steamrjet air ejectorforth'l'ektraction ofy thcair, with vapor, fronthesaid condenser and the deliiieiiy'of thesam'e intc'il the said"s`urfa`c'e heater, the said heate'rbel ingv4 arraned for thefheatin "ofthe feed* water bytlgie condensation 'oft e steainfro'ni the ejector, a feed tank, an adnii'ss'i'onfpipe'A connection between the' saidmain feed pipe" andsaid feed tank,"an automatic noiilretilin loaded" valve on saidpipe connectiolna dis#V charge pipe connection from said feedl tank,

and an automatic nonLretur'n' valve on said last-mentioned pipe connection.

3. In a Steamship, in combina-tion, a main condenser, a. boiler feed pump, a mainfeed pipe extending from the said condenser to the said boiler feed pump, a water-extraction pump for the withdrawal of the water of condensation, z'. e, the feedvvater, from` the said condenser, and the delivery ofthe same under pressure intothe said feedfpipdg a primarylsurface'fee'd heater onthesai ,3- l l thesaid boiler feedl pum main feed pipe, a` steam-jet air ejector fo'r the extraction ofthe'air, with vapor, from the said condenser Cand the deliveryfof the, same into the said surface heater, the saidf heater being arranged for the heating of the feed water by the condensation of the steam from the ejector, a feed tank, an admission pipe connection between the said main feed pipe and said feed tank, an au tomatic non-return loaded valve on said ipe connection, a discharge pipe connection rom said feed tank, an automatic non-return valve on said last mentioned pipe connection, a secondary surface feed heater on the said main feed pipe between the said primary heater and the said boiler feed pump, a return pipe connecting the said feed tank with the said condenser, and a hand controlled valve on said return pipe.

4. In a steamship, in combination, a main condenser, a boiler feed pump, a main feed pipe extending from the said condenser to the said boiler feed pump, a water-extraction pump for the Withdrawal of the water of condensation, z'. e., the feed Water, from the said condenser, and the delivery of the sainel under pressure into the said feed pipe, a surface feed heater on the said main feed pipe, a feed tank, an admission pipe connec tion between the said main feed pipe and said feed tank, an automatic non-return loaded valve on said pipe connection, a discharge pipe connection from said feed tank, a non-return val-Ve on said last mentioned pipe connection, and means whereby this the" said" cond'ei valv'iis centre-ned by the' pressure existing' at tliediscl'iarge of the saidI Water-extrae?" tion: ump.

n' a steinship, in combination, a main condenseaboilerfeed pump, a'r'nain `fe'edffl) I' pipe' extending from the said condenseito lthe 'sairl"bo'iler feed'pump, a watei'ezitra'ction pump' foi" the witl'ii'lrawa'l vof the'water of condensationf-f. c., the feed"wate,`froin i Sams kandrei,A tessere-into "the said feed" pipe, a surface feed'heatei on thesa'id main'y feed' theirs'aitl surfaeefheatei', thesaid heater-beiiig` arr ed foi" theheatiine;4 ofthe feed walter by are conaensanon'af the Steam' from uit ejecftr'; 'means for'returningthiscondensed steain tdthe'suction'of'tliesaidwaterlezttracL 85 chargfefpipe connection from said feed tank, 90

and"`an"al'tinatic"non-returnvalve on said lastfmentioned pipe connection. y

6. Iii'a Steamship, in combination, a main g condens-'ene boiler feed pump, a main feedV plpei 'extending' yfrom 'the i l p, a waterfextrace tion p'inn'p Yfoi'I the withdrawal of the water ,of condensation, c. e., thefeedqwater, frena-m thesaidcondensen and the delivery of the sanie under pressure into the said feed pipe, 10o

a primary surface feed heater on the said main feed pipe, a steam-jet air ejector for the extraction of the air, with vapor, from the said condenser and the delivery of the same into the said surface heater, the said heater being arranged for the heating of the feed water by the condensation of the steam from the ejector, a main feed tank, an admission pipe connection between the said main feed pipe and said feed tank, an automatic non-return loaded valve on said pipe connection, a reserve feed tank, a discharge. pipe connection from said fee-d tank, an automatic non-return valve on said last mentioned -pipe connection, aI cock on the said last mentioned pipe connection, a discharge pipe connection from said reserve tank to said cock, means whereby the Water level in the said main feed tank controls the discharge of water through the said cock from the said main feed tank and the said reserve tank, a secondary surface feed heater of which the heating a ent .is auxiliary exhaust steam, this heater eing` on the said main feed and t e said boiler feed pump, a gravitation filter, and pipe connections between the said filter and the said secondary heater and the said main feed tank respectively whereby the condensate obtained from the heating 130 and the' ,delive'ryiof the" 75 said ,condenser to 9 5 ipe between the said primary heater steam of the said secondary heater can How through the said filter into the said main feed tank.

7. In a Steamship, in combination, a main condenser, a boiler feed pump, a main feed pipe extending from the said condenser tothe said boiler feed pump, a water-extraction pu1np for the withdrawal of the Water of condensation, z'. e., the feed water, from the said condenser, and the delivery of the same under pressure into the said feed pipe, a surface feed heater on the said main feed pipe, a steam-jet air ejector for the extraction of the air, with vapo-r, from the said condenser and the delivery of the saine into the said surface heater, Ithe said heater being arranged for the heating of the feed water bvithe condensation of the steam from the ejector, a main feed tank, an admission pipe connection between rthe said main feed pipe and said feed tank, an automatic non-return loaded valve on said pipe connection, a reserve feed tank, a discharge pipe connection from said main feed tank, an automatic nonreturn valve on said last mentioned pipe connection, a cock on the said last mentioned pipe connection, a discharge pipe connection from said reserve tank to saidv cook, means wherebj7 the water levelin the said main feed tank controls the discharge of water through the'said cock from the said main feed 'tank and the sai-d reserve feed tank, a

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents l return pipe connecting the said feed tank with the said condenser, and a hand-controlled valve on said return pipe.

8. In a Steamship, in combination, a main condenser, a boiler feed pump, a main feed pipe yextending from the said condenser to the'said boiler feed pump, `a water-extrael tion pump for the Withdrawal of the water of condensation, z'. e., the feed water, from the said condenser, and the delivery of the same under pressure into the said feed pipe, a surface feed heater on the said main feed pipe, a main feed tank, an admission pipe connection between the said main feed pipe and said vfeed tank, an automatic non-return loaded valve on said pipe connection, a reserve feed tank, a discharge pi e connection from said main feed tank an said reserve tank, a non-return valve on said last men` tioned pipe connection, means whereb7 this valve is controlled by the pressure existing at the discharge of the said water-extraction pump, a cock on the said last mentioned pipe connection, a discharge pipe connection from said reserve tank to said cock, and means whereby the Water level in said main feed tank controls the discharge of water through the said cock from the said'main feed tank and the said reserve feed tank.

tion.

WILLIAM WEIR.

Washington, D. G.

I 'hereby sign my name to this specifica- 

